Star Wars Visions is an anthology series consisting of 9 animated short films taking place within the Galaxy Far Far Away. Check out our thoughts on each episode below and feel free to leave yours in the comments! May the Force Be With You All.
Star Wars Visions’ Episode Mini-Reviews
Episode 1: The Duel:
A mysterious traveler journeys to a small town being run over by The Empire and engages in a life or death battle with the assailants. This episode carries a dark, chalky art style that highlights the hand-drawn approach and gives it an appropriately grim tone. While the animation isn’t particularly fluid, it is fascinating to watch and gives the action a relatively unique flavor. Add the iconic John Williams theme playing in the background and you have a unique slice of Star Wars fun.
Episode 2: Tatooine Rhapsody:
A close-knit rock band must rescue one of their own after he is captured by Jabba The Hutt. This episode takes on a FullMetal Alchemist-esque look and has some solid rock songs to go along with the action. It’s rare that we’ve seen what life in the Star Wars universe is like for the average joes and janes, so this episode is a real treat for its bright aesthetic and cool soundtrack. Whether you’re normally a fan of the brand or not, this is one short I’d highly recommend for anime and rock fans.
Episode 3: Twins
Two twins were created to serve The Dark Side and have discovered a game-changing power crystal that could win them the war. However, when one attempts to prevent the power from being used, a great battle ensues between the war-torn siblings. This is one of the more action-heavy shorts in the batch and all the better for it. The animation is smooth, the voicework solid, and the climax suitably epic. If you come to Star Wars primarily for the action, then this one should be near the top of your viewing list.
Episode 4: The Village Bride:
A Jedi hiding her powers has been brought to observe a planet’s people and customs, but must choose whether to intervene when the planet’s princess is to be taken by The Seperatists as collateral for planetary protection. One word I’d use to describe this episode is mystical. It has a sense of wonder and fantastical awe about it that applies to the overall tone and approach to the action scenes. Once again, we get to see how an ordinary planet is affected by the tyranny of the Empire, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the lead character here appears elsewhere down the line.
Episode 5: The Ninth Jedi:
The daughter of a sabersmith must traverse harsh dangers to deliver lightsabers to masterless Jedi waiting in a nearby temple. This one is another solid hit in the action department and reminds us of the more spiritual aspect of The Force (don’t worry, no mention of Miticlorians here). The use and discussion of The Force here feels closer to the original trilogy’s description than the do-whatever-the-plot-needs-it-to approach of later films, and the ending suggests we could see this followed up on somewhere. So overall, an enjoyable Star Wars adventure.
Episode 6: To-B1:
A young robot who desires to become a Jedi discovers a secret about his creator. This episode begins cute but ends violently, feeling heavily inspired by the Astro Boy anime with a Star Wars coat of paint. Droids in the Star Wars universe are rarely given stories of their own, so this story definitely stands out among series cannon and delivers some visually pleasing animation as a bonus. It’s a fun watch.
Episode 7: The Elder:
A peaceful Jedi and his battle-ready Padawan sense a Disturbance in the force and land on a nearby planet. Once there, they encounter an old man far more powerful than he appears. This episode is refreshingly heavier on buildup and anticipation to the action than the others. The two lead characters’ differing points of view make for some interesting conversations and the old man they encounter is creepy. I imagine this might be a Halloween watch among series fans, but it works just as well any time of the year.
Episode 8: Lop and Ocho:
This is by far my favorite episode of the bunch. A father and daughter adopt a street kid into their family on a planet slowly being taken over by The Empire. Years later, the father opposes the Empire’s actions, yet one of his children has joined their side, forcing the other to fight her or risk death. This episode carries the most emotional punch to it and makes the Empire’s impact on the world of Star Wars more personally affecting by showing the different viewpoints people can have on tyrannical regimes based on their life experiences. If you check out any short in the Star Wars Visions’ collection, I highly recommend this one be it.
Episode 9: Akakiri:
A Jedi goes to defend his love’s kingdom from a manipulative villain while dealing with sinister visions. The animation, score, and voice acting make the episode a solid ending to the Star Wars Visions anthology, though the journey getting to the villain drags slightly. Regardless of that, the way things are resolved along with the unique tone make this an enjoyable entry in Star Wars lore that takes a familiar plot element to series fans and gives it a different spin.
Star Wars Visions Trailer
Season 1 of Star Wars Visions is a welcome franchise expansion that builds on the world, offers some great new characters, and shows that the Galaxy Far Far Away is anything but small. See Star Wars Visions on DisneyPlus.
What episode of Star Wars Visions are you looking forward to the most? Do you think that Star Wars Visions will get a second season? Let us know what you thought of Star Wars Visions in the comment section below or over on our social media!
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